Hello, I'm Elle
I’m a Tasmanian living in Norway, a mum of three, and a woman who turned forty to discover that life looked rather different from what she’d expected.
Apparently, life hadn’t read my notes.
Chronic illness changed my plans. It also changed my sense of who I was, beyond motherhood, beyond what my body could manage, and beyond the version of myself I’d imagined becoming.
Writing has become a way of finding a little of myself again. Not a grand reinvention. More a sentence here, a moment of recognition there.
I’m still figuring it out. You won’t need to pretend otherwise here, either.
Why I put the kettle on
I created Before Elle for women navigating chronic illness, motherhood, feeling invisible and changes they didn’t choose.
I wanted somewhere we could talk honestly about missing the life we expected while finding our way through the one we have. Somewhere with room for difficult days, small joys and the occasional laugh at how thoroughly things have gone off-script.
Illness is part of my life, but it isn’t the whole story. Neither is motherhood. There’s a woman in amongst it all, and I’m interested in getting to know her again.
Perhaps you are, too.
I hope these stories help you feel understood, less alone and a little more hopeful—without giving you another thing to work on.
Make yourself comfortable
Think of Before Elle as a cottage with a few places to settle.
The Library holds the writing. The Sitting Room is where you can listen to Before Elle Out Loud. The Kitchen Table is our place for letters and conversation on Substack.
And at the front door, you’ll find me and Mitty welcoming you in.
You don’t need a clear plan, a cheerful update or the energy to explain everything. There’s room for the woman you are today, even if you’re still getting to know her.
Life looks different now. You still belong in it.
Come as you are. There's room for you here.
